The only other signing announced by the Blades this summer is rookie Jadran Beljo, though coach Malcolm Cameron hinted at upcoming signings of returning forwards Milan Gajic and Ryan Lang, as well as an announcement regarding a goalie signing a two-way ECHL/AHL contract with the Blades' AHL affiliate in Albany, N.Y.

Other possible returning players are defensemen A.J. Thelen and Michael Grenzy, who came to Florida last year after playing for Cameron with the Texas Wildcatters during 2007-08, and forwards Mark Lee and Mathieu Roy, the fourth and fifth-leading scorers on last year's team, respectively.

Cameron had said last month that he only wanted to bring back "about eight or nine" players from the 2008-09 Blades team, which won the ECHL regular-season championship but fell in the second round of the playoffs to eventual Kelly Cup champion South Carolina. On Tuesday, Cameron said all negotiations with returning players had been "tied up," and noted that an announcement regarding Lang could come soon.

"You may see something next week," Cameron said.

Nicholson, Baker and Hartlieb were in attendance for Tuesday's press conference. Those three players and Metcalf, who couldn't attend because of a family emergency, are staying in Southwest Florida throughout the summer. Nicholson stayed in town to heal a broken jaw suffered in the playoff series and just got his wires off Tuesday.

"I could barely open my mouth," Nicholson said. "I lost 15 pounds."

But Nicholson, 26 and entering his fourth season playing for Cameron, said he has been staying in hockey shape by skating at Germain Arena and training with Metcalf, Baker and Hartlieb.

Baker is supplementing those workouts by playing men's league hockey at Germain Arena on the same team with Cameron.

"He's my linemate, and now I know how mad he gets when he doesn't score," Cameron said of the 30-year-old right winger, who last year became the first ECHL player to score 50 goals in a season since the 2000-01 season.

Baker was also team captain last year and is expected to remain in that role for the 2009-10 season.

Cameron replaced seven-year Blades coach Gerry Fleming at the end of the 2007-08 season and signed a two-year contract. He said Tuesday that Southwest Florida and Germain Arena now feel like home, signaling that although Cameron has not signed an extension, he'd like to remain in Florida for several years.

NOT COMING BACK: A few big-name players from the 2008-09 Blades team likely won't be back. Cameron said veteran forward Brad Herauf, who along with Hartlieb was the only returning Blade last year from the 2007-08 team, was focused on getting a contract in the AHL, where he spent most of the 2008-09 season. That's also true of big, physical forward Patrick Bordeleau, who was left off the Blades' playoff roster to pursue an AHL call-up to Milwaukee. Cameron said forward Steve McJannett, who received a qualifying offer from the Blades, would also likely not return and was considering quitting hockey.

Earlier this summer, goalie David Leggio and defensemen Tim Cook and Dominic D'Amour announced that they'd signed with European teams. Cameron said he didn't know of any other former Blades who were headed overseas.

At least three other 2008-09 team members will see a lot of the Blades next season, although it will be from an opposing bench. Forward Danick Bouchard re-signed with the ECHL's Reading Royals this week, and All-Star defenseman Aaron Brocklehurst was traded from Victoria to Gwinnett, where he'll join forward Matt Auffrey, who scored 25 goals and 25 assists for Augusta in 2007-08 and began the 2008-09 season as a star for the Lynx before being picked up by the Blades in November when Augusta folded midseason.

Bouchard, Brocklehurst and Auffrey couldn't be protected by the Blades because Bouchard was released by Florida in March — he was picked up on waivers by Reading — and Brocklehurst and Auffrey were traded away to Victoria and Dayton, respectively. Gwinnett was able to sign Auffrey because Dayton was one of five ECHL teams to fold by the end of the 2008-09 season, joining Mississippi, Augusta, Fresno and Phoenix.

MONEY TALK: Team founder and general manager Craig Brush alluded to financial concerns after the player signings were announced Tuesday.

"I don't have to tell anybody that the economy has been really tough," Brush said, addressing the packed press conference room, which was open to Blades fans as well as media. "We honestly need help this year with tickets. ... We need you to recruit some friends."

Brush said this year's ticket sales concerns were worse than last season, when the Blades averaged fewer than 6,000 fans per game for the first time in their 11-year history.

Another concern for the Blades is rising travel costs. The Blades will play multiple regular-season games in Toledo, Ohio, Wheeling, W.Va., Kalamazoo, Mich., Cincinnati, Elmira, N.Y., Reading, Pa., and Trenton, N.J., as the ECHL this year increased intra-conference play.

"That's a problem for us, quite frankly," Brush said, noting that the Blades would probably have to take commercial flights. "It is going to be more expensive."

While costs have risen, the Blades chose not to increase ticket prices for the 2009-10 season, in hopes of retaining fans who are struggling financially.

Blades' training camp starts Oct. 2 at Germain Arena, and the regular season begins on Oct. 16 in Toledo, Ohio. The Blades' first home game is Oct. 23 against Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. at Germain Arena.